Former top referee rules on these controversial Newcastle v Manchester City incidents | OneFootball

Dermot Gallagher reviews controversial decisions in the Premier League after each round of games, on behalf of Sky Sports.

The former top referee has now given his call on these incidents in the Newcastle v Manchester City match.

Dermot Gallagher looking at what happened during key moments in this match at St James’ Park.

Newcastle United and Manchester City in a match not without incident…

Also a game where Eddie Howe’s team played so well AND deserved to win for sure.

Dermot Gallagher talking to Sky Sports about these Newcastle v Manchester City controversial incidents:

Harvey Barnes scores the winner for Newcastle, after contact between himself and Gianluigi Donnarumma when the initial corner was taken and cleared, before eventually the ball was recycled and crossed by Murphy, with Woltemade and Bruno headers, before Barnes brilliantly finishes.

“Is it a foul on Donnarumma?

“I think not.”

In the first half, Man City wanted a penalty after Fabian Schar caught Phil Foden. Foden had got his shot away and put it wide, before the covering Schar made contact. VAR said it was a consequence of momentum, not reckless.

DERMOT GALLAGHER:

“They said no penalty because in the guidelines if the challenge is reckless it’s a yellow card, once it’s a yellow card they have t give a penalty.

“They haven’t deemed Schar’s challenge reckless. It’s a consequence of his momentum.

“This will split a lot of people.”

Man City claimed a penalty for handball against Thiaw,

DERMOT GALLAGHER:

“If the ball doesn’t strike his arm, it will strike his body anyway.

“He hasn’t made himself bigger to block the shot.”

Great calls from Dermot Gallagher, a straightforward hat-trick of correct decisions!

It was embarrassing from Donnarumma to be trying to claim the Barnes winner should have been disallowed, whilst the handball claim was equally laughable.

On the Schar one, Foden put his shot wide and then a clear gap in time before the Newcastle defender catches him as he was trying to block the shot. As Dermot Gallagher correctly says, simply Schar’s momentum causing the contact and by then the ball out of play.

Newcastle 2 Manchester City 1 – Saturday 22 November 2025 5.30pm

Newcastle United:

Barnes 63, 70

Man City:

Dias 68

Possession was Newcastle 32% Man City 68%

Total shots were Newcastle 9 Man City 17

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Man City 4

Corners were Newcastle 5 Man City 9

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 15 Man City 41

Newcastle team v Man City:

Pope, Livramento, Thiaw, Schar, Hall (Botman 77), Bruno, Joelinton, Tonali, Jacob Murphy, Woltemade (Willock 85), Barnes (Elanga 85)